Commenting on the proposal from Sarah Mullally, Chief Nursing Officer, that every secondary school should have its own nurse, Karen Jennings, UNISON Head of Health said:
“Prevention is always better than cure and in the long term cheaper. Having a nurse covering each school would make a positive contribution to improving the health of people across the country.
“Young people should have ready access to expert advice and guidance from someone they can trust, and a nurse would be the obvious person to turn to. The government are looking at ways to tackle binge drinking and smoking and the school nurse could play a vital role in educating young people about the dangers associated with both, as well as advising on issues such as diet and sexual health.
